Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the statistics regarding the employment of people with disabilities by local authority; the number in each local authority in permanent employment; the number in temporary placement; if he has reason for concern regarding the local authorities' compliance with the quota set; if there are plans to revisit same upwardly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22892/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The local authority sector has exceeded the Government's target of 3% for the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector each year since 2001. Local authorities are required to make every effort to maintain or exceed this level of employment of persons with a disability.

The employment target will be reviewed by the Monitoring Committee to be established later this year under Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 to report, annually from 2006, on the employment position in respect of public bodies accountable to my Department.

As at 31 December 2005, the number of people with disabilities employed by local authorities was 1,214.3, representing 3.56% of the workforce. This represents a slight increase of 0.01% over the 2004 figure (3.55%). Details, as provided by the local authorities, regarding the employment of people with disabilities are set out in the following table.

The information relating to the employment of people with disabilities on a temporary basis is not held by my Department.